World Justice Project Convenes Multidisciplinary Conference On The Rule Of Law In Latin America

Sept. 7, 2010 - PRLog -- LIMA, PERU - Prominent leaders from throughout the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) will convene September 8-10, 2010, at the World Justice Project (WJP) LAC Regional Rule of Law Conference in Lima, Peru, to address Rule of Law issues critical to the region, and to develop multidisciplinary action plans to advance the Rule of Law.

“The Rule of Law is an essential foundation for communities of opportunity and equity, the eradication of many of the world’s gravest ills, and the success of all endeavors,” said World Justice Project Founder, President and CEO William H. Neukom. “Efforts to strengthen the Rule of Law must be formulated and executed within a multidisciplinary framework—involving stakeholders beyond the legal profession. The LAC 2010 Conference will bring together representatives from many disciplines to facilitate the development of concrete, multidisciplinary plans to advance the Rule of Law.”

With participants hailing from 24 countries, the LAC Rule of Law Conference brings together a wide-ranging group of stakeholders, including government officials, business leaders, lawyers, judges, artists, educators, security officials, faith leaders, environmentalists, human rights activists, public health workers and the media.

The Conference will address topics that focus on balancing economic development and the environment; public security; and government accountability. Smaller, more focused sessions on specific substantive issues—such as kidnapping, criminal justice and prison systems, good governance and freedom of the press—will allow for the development of action plans to be implemented after the Conference. The World Justice Project will open its seed grant program, the Opportunity Fund, to proposed Rule of Law initiatives generated during the Conference.

Data from the WJP Rule of Law IndexTM, a new quantitative assessment tool that measures the extent to which countries adhere to the Rule of Law, will be presented to identify regional Rule of Law deficits and inform action plans.

A panel debating issues around balancing economic development with environmental concerns will include remarks by Scott Fulton, General Counsel of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Jorge Caillaux, President of the Sociedad Peruana de Derecho Ambiental. Adella Navarro Bellos, the Director General of the Mexican newspaper Zeta, and Ernesto de la Jara, Director General of Instituto de Defensa Legal, will serve as speakers on a panel on public security. José Miguel Vivanco, Director of the Americas Division of Human Rights Watch, and Humberto Prado, Director of the Observatorio Venezolano de Prisiones, will speak on a panel on government accountability.

Roberto Maclean, former Peruvian Ambassador to the United States and former Supreme Justice of Peru, will give the welcoming remarks at the Conference’s opening reception. Joining the Conference from the WJP’s Board of Directors are former President of Romania Emil Constantinescu and former Chief Justice of Brazil Ellen Gracie Northfleet, who will serve as closing keynote speaker.

“Having such a varied and distinguished group attend the Conference and debate these important issues through the prism of the Rule of Law will ensure the Conference’s success. Above all, our meetings are about planning concrete, cross-disciplinary actions on the ground, and the insights and expertise of our participants are essential resources,” said Hongxia Liu, World Justice Project Executive Director. “The Conference provides a platform and framework for leaders of all segments of society to join forces to break down barriers to justice, prosperity, and security by strengthening the Rule of Law.”


The World Justice Project is a multinational, multidisciplinary initiative which seeks to strengthen the Rule of Law for the development of communities of opportunity and equity. Its work is being carried out through the creation of a comprehensive Rule of Law Index, the convening of global and regional meetings of world leaders, the provision of seed grants for Rule of Law projects, and the origination of new scholarship on Rule of Law issues. The Project’s efforts are dedicated to developing practical programs in support of the Rule of Law around the world. For further details, visit www.worldjusticeproject.org. Details on the WJP MENA Regional Rule of Law Conference can be found at www.lacc2010wjpnet.org.